Molybdenum market update on July 4, 2025
This week, the domestic molybdenum market exhibited a pattern of initial decline followed by an upturn. Early in the week, lower steel bidding prices led to declines in molybdenum concentrate, ferro-molybdenum, and molybdenum oxide prices, with molybdenum concentrate and molybdenum oxide falling below the 3,800 yuan/ton-degree and 3,900 yuan/ton-degree thresholds, respectively. Toward the weekend, concentrated steel company bidding for ferro-molybdenum and a halt in price declines boosted confidence among molybdenum raw material suppliers to raise quotes. Molybdenum concentrate prices rebounded to around 3,830 yuan/ton-degree, though the ferro-molybdenum price increase was relatively modest, limiting profit margins for intermediate smelting companies.
According to CTIA GROUP LTD statistics, this week molybdenum concentrate prices rose by approximately 50 yuan/ton-degree (a 1.32% increase), ferro-molybdenum prices increased by about 2,000 yuan/ton (a 0.83% increase), and molybdenum oxide prices went up by around 50 yuan/ton-degree (a 1.28% increase). Prices for sodium molybdate, ammonium heptamolybdate, and molybdenum powder showed no significant changes. Notably, the upward movement in molybdenum raw material and ferro-molybdenum prices exceeded the earlier declines, while price adjustments for molybdenum chemical products appear to lag.
In related news, the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) reported that as of late June 2025, social inventories of five major steel varieties across 21 cities totaled 7.69 million tons, down 70,000 tons (a 0.9% decrease) from the previous period, with the inventory decline narrowing. Compared to the beginning of the year, inventories increased by 1.1 million tons (up 16.7%), but they were 2.72 million tons lower than the same period last year (down 26.1%). Regionally, steel social inventories across seven major areas showed mixed changes: inventories in South China and Northeast China rose, Central China remained stable, and other regions saw declines.
Price of molybdenum products on July 4, 2025
Molybdenum crucible picture